Afternoon vs Evening Wedding?

Okay, for starters, I’d like to mention that my DH and I are definently what you would consider “preppy” (i.e. Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Lilly Pulitzer, etc) and thought it would be fitting to have a preppy wedding.

My question is: should it be held in the afternoon or the evening?

When I imagine an afternoon wedding, I think of pinks and greens and the like, you know, general spring colors. My bridemaids would be decked out in lovely Lilly dresses (I’ll post pics below) while his groomsmen would be in khaki suits for a Southern gentlemen preppy feel. We’d have it at his family’s country club where it always seems to be nice and sunny, our dogs would be able to roam (within limits of course, but our families love them) as well as be in our wedding party, and we’d go all out for a more formal, yet still relaxed version of a backyard (vegan) barbecue, ending with apple pies and refreshing lemon cake. The only downside is the fact that when people think of afternoon weddings, they imagine an informal affair, and I don’t want people to get too comfortable as to take off their shoes or anything of that nature. I want it to be to be fun, but not “redneck fun”.

On the other hand, an evening prep wedding would consist of black tuxes, floor length dresses, pearls, a general Audrey Hepburn feeling. Our guests would show up in formal attire at one of the most formal and lavish venues Texas has to offer, and would attend a sit down dinner of heavier foods than just lunch, followed by a rich vanilla cake and other English pastries. This would be considered a “Northern preppy” kind of thing, and was actually my first choice. It would still be fun in itself, but just a lot more formal and filling. This would be an “ideal” wedding where guests can literally dance the night away considering it starts at five and ends at eleven. I like the idea of my guests leaving an actual party feeling satisfued, whereas at an afternoon wedding that ends at six or seven seems strange, although more convenient for my out of town relatives.

What do you guys think? If you were a guest, which would you prefer and why?

Your evening preppy sounds like what I consider Black Tie and I am personally not a fan of Black Tie weddings

I think your afternoon version sounds great – you can still have dancing OR you could have your wedding and preppy reception and then have a later reception after dinner that’s for the dancing part – my aunt and uncle did 2 receptions (at the same place) they had a earlier one for the families and kids etc and then everyone went home and the grown ups went back for a later reception (like 8pm or something). If you have your venue for the whole day this might be an option.

The afternoon version sounds a lot more fun and enjoyable for me! Plus i’m having a afternoon wedding so maybe i’m just biased. I just feel like the evening wedding is kind of putting pressure on your guest to dress up and look prim and proper (maybe they are those kinds of people, I dont know!), but when in doubt, I would also go for a more relaxed theme and you will probably be more relaxed on your big day too (:

@LittleMissBuckingham: Your afternoon wedding sounds SO fun to me. The evening wedding sounds a little stuffy and the afternoon wedding sounds simple and romantic and fun. Vegan BBQ? Dogs running around? Bright dresses? Hell yes. I want to go to that wedding right now. But that’s just my taste.

Oh, and I’ve heard that regarding dancing at weddings – if the bride and groom are dancing, everyone else will dance. So don’t think that people won’t dance in the afternoon. If you’re out there, your guests will follow. 🙂